This presumption seems to have no correlation with my experience. The variations of grip with which one can effect the technique by leverage without coming anywhere near pressing on the nerve point are nearly infinite. This is part of my point, and why most nerve-oriented practice sessions seem to consist of everyone standing around puzzling over the proper grip instead of actually practicing the technique.

Hi Kevin,

I remember puzzling over many things in aikido, and still do. IMHO, the nerve pressure is the BEGINNING of the technique.

Quote:

Kevin Wilbanks wrote:

One can quickly grab the forearm pretty much any old way, with either hand over the other, and grind someone's shoulder into the ground mercilessly by means of sound movement mechanics and some strength. On the other hand, finding the nerve point requires a very narrow range of quite particular grips, and it seems extremely tricky to land such a grip in one swoop, on the fly. I don't think I've ever met anyone who could effect the nerve grip as quickly and reliably as I, a relative neophyte, can simply grab a forearm with both hands.

Remembering that both hands are on the uke anyway with the nerve pressure, you could still follow through with the "sound movement mechanics and some strength", if you miss the nerve perhaps.

Quote:

Kevin Wilbanks wrote:

In general, this serves as a good illustration of why I have little interest in practicing with pressure points. By the time one becomes even close to proficient at making such a tenuous connection on the fly, one could have spent countless hours honing a much more reliable skill.

Personally, I think it takes great skill to be able to hit the nerve time after time, and on the fly. Their are many aikido techniques that do and do not work for various reasons and I would be glad to spend countless hours on them, if only I could find someone to pay my mortgage!!

I tend to agree with Abasan. As I said earlier, the pressure/pain is used to distract and change the body position(flinch?) of uke with minimal strength, then the rest of the technique is applied, weather it is using the sword cut/cast down, or changing it to an ikkyo or nikkyo or whatever works for you.

Mind you, this is just my interpretation, and like aikido, it'll change over time.